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| right to left: 'Dumplin' novel by author Julie Murphy |
She has a new up-coming movie, '
Dumplin' ' based off of the novel by author Julie Murphy. Aniston plays an ex-pageant queen, and she does it beautifully. When asked if she ever wanted to be in a beauty pageant when she was younger Jennifer simply said, "That's hysterical!", adding, "No. Do you know what I looked like as a kid?", she elaborates, "The truth is, that's all changing now [beauty pageants]. That's what this movie is all about. It's about redefining beauty and how we as a society interpret what beauty is. I love that the Miss America pageant is going to get rid of the swimsuit competition altogether. You know, a swimsuit body is a body in swimsuit, no matter what that body is. It's time to just stop thinking beauty is in the shape of a size four and the right butt size and the right waist size and the right measurements. It's just old. We've done it. We've been there. Let's move on."
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| Jennifer as Rosie Dickson on set of 'Dumplin' ' |
When asked what is was like exploring the pageant world to prepare for the film Aniston said, "I had SO much fun!" She adds, "There are women devoting their lives to training young girls for pageants, and it's the REAL deal. I loved those women and really enjoyed getting into their minds. My character [Rosie Dickson] is an ex-pageant queen who is fun but broken. It's a beautiful mother-daughter story." [Aniston's on-screen daughter is played by actress Danielle Macdonald]. "And of course," says Aniston, "there's the amazing musical element: '
Dumplin' ' is an homage to country music singer Dolly Parton, who wrote a few original songs for this film."
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| country music singer Dolly Parton wrote a few original songs for the film |
Aniston praises Parton commenting, "She's magic," recalling, "I remember the first thing she said to me when she walked into my house. I said, 'I don't know how you do everything you're still doing.' Dolly said, 'Well, I dreamed myself into a corner, and now I gotta live up to it' ". Aniston continues, "When Dolly and I watched the movie together, we were in a theater full of people who didn't know we were sitting in the back. During one of the funnier parts, she's stifling her laugh and whispers to me, 'They [the audience] can't hear my laugh. They'll know my laugh.' A couple of minutes later I look over and she's crying, and Dolly said, 'But they don't know my tears.' " I really wish there were an audio button on this page that readers could push right now to hear the impression you just did of Dolly Parton. It was flawless. [Aniston impersonating Parton's voice] "Aw, thank you, darlin' ".
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| country music singer Dolly Parton with 'Dumplin' author Julie Murphy |
When asked what her talent would be if she were a pageant girl Aniston says, "My talents are not baton twirling or Hula-Hooping or tap dancing or ventriloquism or yodeling. I would be eliminated right away. Out. No talent." '
Dumplin' ' is written, produced, and directed primarily by women. The leads are all women. The timing is perfect for such a film. Aniston says, "Yes, lots of great women in front of and behind the camera. All extraordinarily qualified. This wasn't because it was mandatory; it wasn't because of a movement. [Jennifer is in reference towards Time's Up and #MeToo] They're [the cast and crew] a part of this movie because they are exceptionally talented. Rachel Morrison was our DP [director of photography] on '
Cake' [a 2015 indie drama film starring Aniston] and the first woman nominated for best Cinematography [for '
Mudbound'] at the Oscars. She's a badass," compliments Aniston adding, "We need to find more women like her and give them the opportunities. It's like mining for gold. We shouldn't be shoving female directors and producers down each other's throats because we have to. Then we're making those decisions from a place of fear."
